Category Manager - Indirect

Job Reference: GRP/ED/17-01/1054

Job Title: Category Manager - Indirect

Location: Ipswich

Salary: Competitive

Hours per week: Monday to Friday - 40 hours per week

Business Overview

Atalian Servest and OCS have merged to create a new organisation, the OCS Group UK & Ireland. We are a leading facilities management company providing a range of both standalone and integrated services including cleaning, catering, security, technical services, energy management and compliance, front of house, landscaping, logistics, waste management and pest control services. The company has a turnover of GBP1.5bn and operates across the UK and Ireland with 50,000 colleagues delivering innovative award-winning services to the private and public sectors and supporting the local communities in which it operates.

Role Overview

We are currently recruiting for a Category Manager - Indirect to join our passionate and driven team.

Reporting to the Head of Indirect Procurement, the Indirect Category Manager is a strategic role with primary responsibility for managing Indirect spend, including Uniform, Stationery, Professional Services, Energy, and Travel procurement categories, among others, for OCS UK & Ireland. Collaborating closely with key internal stakeholders, both Group and UK&I, the Indirect Category Manager will be expected to develop and implement a comprehensive category plan aimed at maximising value within the specified categories.

Benefits

• Informal hybrid/flexible working arrangements
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Free fruit in our offices
• Employee Referral Scheme (if you refer a successful candidate to one of our vacancies)
• Wide range of retail discounts
• Regular social and charity events are held in our offices
• Get involved in charity events in the local community

Wellbeing

• Discounted gym membership
• Eye test GBP25 voucher and up to GBP100 towards glasses
• Join our Cycle to Work scheme via salary sacrifice
• Access to CHROMA , our internal colleague-led diversity and inclusion community join a committee or take part in our D&I initiatives and events
• Access to internal Mental Health First Aiders

Career development and recognition

• Immediate access to Opportunity our internal Learning and Development platform
• Required professional membership fees paid for
• Opportunity to win monthly Atalian Servest Superstar Awards
• Long service awards

Key Responsibilities:

Functional:

• Develop and execute a category management plan to reduce total cost, enhance the quality of supply, and mitigate risks within the specified Indirect procurement categories.
• Oversee all spend related to Uniform, Stationery, Professional Services, Energy, and Travel procurement, delivering the annual savings plan and ensuring timely invoicing of any rebates, and collection to maintain zero-aged debt.
• Negotiate and achieve procurement synergy targets for M&A activities related to Indirect categories.
• Track and manage contract renewals, ensuring adherence to negotiated terms.
• Engage with suppliers regularly, building strategic relationships based on data-driven management and performance metrics.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing activities, collaborating with the Head of Indirect Procurement for high-risk/value opportunities.
• Identify, evaluate, negotiate, and contract with new suppliers to optimize spend per category.
• Act as a trusted commercial partner, working with key stakeholders to support and align with the category plan.
• Implement initiatives, including rationalisation, to increase spend compliance and concentration with preferred suppliers, delivering improved efficiencies and driving category maturity.
• Act as a business partner to all relevant sectors and business units, promoting the Procurement department at all times and providing internal customer focus to support the organisation.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure that quality, service, and client requirements are considered and applied when negotiating commercial value.
• Form strong, productive relationships with both the business and the supply base, ensuring the UK and Ireland business is the customer of choice leading to business growth and profitability.
• Deliver cost reduction through procurement activities as well as mitigating inflation and cost increases, to improve EBITDA performance.
• Support transformation within the Procurement team and implement change management throughout the organisation.
• Provide market and supplier insight, expertise, and knowhow to the organisation through regular reporting.

General:

• Avoid conflict of interests between personal interests and the interests of the UK & Ireland group.
• Exercise independent judgment, reasonable care, skill and diligence when carrying out their duties.
• Act in good faith and promote the long-term success of each company within the UK & Ireland group for the benefit of all members and wider stakeholders.
• Adhere to and promote the UK & Ireland group s policies on equality & diversity, information security, health and safety and data protection in the performance of their duties and the management of the departmental functions reporting into them.
• Support and promote the UK & Ireland group s sustainability plans and policies, including the Carbon Management Plan, and carry out duties in a resource effective way, recognising the shared responsibility of minimising negative environmental impacts wherever possible.

About You:

• Applicants must have the right to work in the UK

Necessary:

• Previous experience within the Procurement role, ideally in the FM industry.
• Category management experience.
• Ability to use initiative and take ownership over spending remit.
• Clear understanding and experience in procuring goods and services across multiple sites.
• Category management experience.
• Results-driven with exceptional negotiation skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Commercially focused with a proven track record of cost reduction.
• Demonstrable knowledge of supplier management and performance measurement.
• Strong project management skills including cross-functional team management.
• A strong negotiator who understands TCO and utilising SRM to achieve best value.
• Ability to build sustainable and productive relationships with suppliers.

Desirable

• CIPS qualification.

Core Expectations

• Show flexibility in working arrangements to ensure that a high level of service is delivered.
• Self-motivated and able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Have a positive, professional, and focused attitude when dealing with all colleagues.
• Be able to take personal responsibility.
• Have a flexible and positive attitude towards work.
• Be keen to continuously improve own learning and development.
• Support and embed the UK & Ireland group s corporate values.
• Can-do attitude and promotion of supportive culture.
• Problem solving and ownership of issues.
• Relentless focus on health and safety standards.

How to apply

If you are interested to join a business that encourages